Predestination
by peachy007
Summary: "Fate; destiny." "The action of God in foreordaining from eternity whatever comes to pass." Just a little late-night story of my favorite AGU couple. Enjoy.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Rugrats, no affiliation.**

** Author's Note: Hey guys, I was a regular on this site about 10 years ago. I'm hoping my writing's improved a bit since then. This was also written at an ungodly hour of the night, so excuse any sloppiness or spelling error. But most of all, I hope you enjoy!**

Tommy groaned as he turned over and fumbled for his cell phone. He glanced at the alarm clock with half-lidded eyes. One-thirty. In the morning. It appeared fate was just not keen on allowing Tommy Pickles the luxury of sleep tonight. He had just spent the last hour tossing and turning in bed, a practice he had somewhat gotten used to in the last week, for reasons he was still trying to figure out himself. He had finally managed to nod off when…

"BZZZZTTT."

"Mm- Hello?"

"Tommy? Hey."

"Lil?" Tommy sat up and rubbed his right eye. "Lil, it's one-thirty in the morning… What's going on?"

"Tommy, I'm sorry, I just didn't know who else to call. I don't want Phil to find out where I am, he'd freak out. I can't call my parents at this hour. Kimi doesn't know anything about cars, and Chuckie knows even less, I just-" she was talking so fast that for anyone else, she would have sounded almost incomprehensible.

"Whoa, Lil, calm down. Where are you?" He was already up, pulling on his jeans, his initial aggravation at being woken up at such an ungodly hour rapidly turning into full-fledged concern.

"I'm on 81 South, by exit 56. My car died and I don't see anyone around ."

"You're by Central?" Tommy asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Yes."

"I'm on my way." Tommy was halfway out the front door as he hung up the phone and raced to the car. It was starting to rain, and by the looks of it outside, it was going to get worse quick. He pulled out his phone again.

_'Stay in the car.' _

….

It was almost an hour drive from where he was to get to Lil. He knew exactly what area she was talking about. It was right by the exit leading to Central, the largest university they had in their state. His parents had taken him and Dil up there a couple times over the summer to visit Angelica, who had just finished her first year there. And that was also the school Chuckie had ultimately decided to attend once fall comes around next month. Tommy still couldn't understand why, of all the good schools he had been accepted to, Chuckie's pick was the local university. There had to be something else swaying him, that was the only explanation he could come up with as to why someone so smart would choose a school so mediocre. For god sake, his cousin goes there!

Tommy focused his attention back to the road. It was starting to rain harder, a lot harder, just like he had anticipated. He put his wipers up to max and threw on his high beams. He undoubtedly would be the only one on this road the entire trip. It was a route seldom taken, as it was an extension off the main freeway. But, it was well known to truckers as a sort of bypath, and there was a truck stop not far from where Lil was. He couldn't remember exactly where, he thought maybe the exit after or the one after that.

Lil. Tommy pressed his foot harder on the gas pedal. He was far exceeding the speed limit at this point. But it was late. He was tired. And he had just received a very perplexing phone call from one of his best friends, imploring him to drive out to her.

…

After only about forty minutes, Tommy saw a car pulled off on the side of the road on the opposite side of the highway. He took the next exit and made his way onto the corresponding highway. He pulled up slowly behind the shabby blue car. The rain was really coming down now, compelling him to pull his grey hoodie tighter around him and pull up the hood before getting out of the car. He trotted up to Lil's car and tapped on the window. He chuckled lightly as she jumped, apparently unaware of his presence. She opened the door and stepped out, and it was now blatantly obvious to Tommy how poorly she was dressed for this weather. She was in nothing but a blue floral print sundress and a light green shawl, which she clutched tightly around her shoulders. Her long hair was down and getting increasingly saturated the harder it rained. Tommy found the site of her to be quite arousing and he couldn't help to feel slightly turned on.

He cleared his throat. "What's going on, Lil?"

"Tommy, I didn't know who else to call. Thank you." Her lips were trembling, but he couldn't tell if it was from unshed tears or the cold. And she was shaking, almost to the point of convulsions.

"Lil?" He stepped closer to her. "Lil, what's wrong?"

Lil wrapped her arms around him and nestled her face into the fabric of his sweater. It took him a few seconds, but Tommy pulled her close, and it was then he realized she was, in fact, crying. He could feel her chest heave against him with heavy sighs and hear her light snivels against his shoulder. It was in that moment that he also noticed the smell of her hair. For a moment he wondered if she was using a new shampoo, or had she always smelled this good? He felt her hands pull at the back fabric of his sweater and he soothingly stroked her back. They remained like that for a couple minutes before Lil pulled back.

"He broke up with me." Her voice was quiet.

It took Tommy all of ten seconds to remember Lil had a boyfriend.

"He what?"

"He broke up with me, Tommy. Two years I spent with him, and it was all for nothing!" Her voice was growing menacing, and Tommy could see the anger in her eyes. "Two years, and now he tells me we're on _different levels_? What the _hell_ does that mean?"

Tommy sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Lil and Jared had been a couple since her sophomore year in high school, when he was a senior. At first, no one really thought it would last, after all, Lil had her fair share of dates, and Jared was a pretty quiet guy. But somehow they managed, and everyone genuinely liked Jared, even Phil, and he was the one to impress.

"Lil, I'm sorry."

"I'm just through with guys, Tommy. All of them. Maybe there are just some people who are meant to be alone."

"Come on, Lil. There are people who are meant to be alone, and then there's you. You just haven't found the right guy yet, that's all."

Lil laughed bitterly. "Exactly how many more broken hearts does it entail to meet Prince Charming? I don't think it's worth it at this point."

Tommy smiled sadly. "It'll happen. It always does when you're not looking."

Lil looked at him and smiled grimly.

Tommy cleared his throat for the second time since he'd gotten there. "So, what's wrong with this piece of junk?" He asked, walking to the front of the car and popping the hood.

Lil growled. "I was trying to drive home and it started convulsing and the engine started smoking. I was barely able to pull it to the side of the road."

Tommy looked over at her. "Lil, it's pouring out and you're practically naked. Go wait in the car."

She shook her head and smiled. "I like the rain."

He grunted and grumbled "If you get pneumonia I won't be liable for any hospital stays" before sticking his head under the hood of the car for closer inspection.

…..

A few minutes later, Tommy walked to the back of the car, where Lil was sitting on the trunk.

"What's the verdict, Doc?" She asked as he hopped up beside her.

He exhaled before looking at her. "How much money you got saved?"

She groaned. "That bad?"

He nodded. "You're definitely gonna have to get it towed tonight. And then you're looking at replacing the transmission. Or buying a new car."

Lil shook her head. "No way. I just bought that car, my parents would kill me. I have some money saved up."

Tommy nodded and stood up. "Well, I've got AAA, let's get a start on this long trek home."

Lil watched Tommy pace back and forth while on the phone with the tow guy. For some reason that was inexplicable to her, she found it oddly attractive that he was seemingly so knowledgeable of her car malfunctions. And she found it quite valiant the way he was taking charge right now. Had Tommy Pickles always been this appealing? Lil shook her head and laughed inwardly at herself. She was letting her vulnerability get the best of her, and Tommy just happened to be around right now.

Tommy walked back over to her. "Tow truck's on the way. Should be here within forty five minutes. You wanna wait in the car?"

Lil shook her head. "Nah. Come, sit in the rain with me."

Tommy was just about to take a seat beside her. "Ah, just a sec." He jogged over to his car and shuffled through the back seat for something. When he came back he tossed something at Lil before hopping up beside her on the trunk of the car.

"It's a little big, but it'll keep you a little warmer atleast."

Lil smiled before pulling the oversized dark blue sweater over her head. It smelled just like him and she blushed slightly. "Thanks."

The pair sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Tommy?"

"Hm?"

"Do you believe there's such thing as fate?"

Taken slightly aback by the question, he turned to her. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I just… Do you think there's just one person made for every person? Like destiny? Like if two people are meant to be, they'll just find each other?"

Tommy didn't even have to look at her to hear the waver in her voice. He knew she was looking for one answer. He chuckled lightly. "I kind of have to, Lil. I'm an aspiring film director, I have to believe in all that destiny, romance stuff. Color me romantic." He paused. "How bout you?"

She sighed. "I don't know. I want to. I guess I've always been more of a realist, you know? Like, nothing's ever mapped out for you. Nothing's written in the stars. It just happens because of the choices you make. Maybe there a hundred people who are right for you, you just have to pick which one you like best." Lil was quiet for a minute and Tommy looked over at her to see why she had stopped. She was looking ahead and he could see the tears glistening in her eyes. He understood that what Lil was saying, what she was feeling, was coming from a place deeper than Jared. In fact, he was sure these were feelings she was having while they were still together. Lil had felt alone for far longer than just the couple hours she had been newly single. This breakup may have come as a surprise to him, but he could already tell she had been expecting it.

"You know, I meant what I said before, Lil. About you not having to worry about being alone. You're far too amazing to not have somebody."

Lil turned to him, surprise evident on her face. Tommy laughed and moved his hand to brush a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"If that were true, someone would have surely noticed by now."

"They have."

Tommy had absentmindedly begun tracing gentle circles against the warm flesh of Lil's jawline and she closed her eyes momentarily, suppressing an emerging moan. She didn't know if he realized what he doing to her.

When Lil opened her eyes, they were met by Tommy's. Tommy's brain was telling him to slow down. She was his best friend and she had just broken up with her boyfriend. But there were other parts of him that were far beyond any friend zone. He wanted her. And he tried to think of a time when he didn't, but he came up short. For years now, he had felt attracted to Lil, and he tried to chalk it up to hormones. He told himself time and time again that it was just because she was a girl and he was a boy, and it was only natural to feel these tingles around girls. But then why did he feel differently around Kimi? Or Suzie? He would never do anything to jeopardize their friendship, but given the situation, and the fact that she's now staring at him with wide eyes, soaking wet, in _his_ hoodie, is making her practically irresistible.

"Tommy?"

Somehow, Tommy had found his left hand intertwined with hers on car beneath them and he stroked her knuckles as he moved his face in towards her. He could hear Lil swallow and he could swear he heard her heart pounding. Or maybe that was his. His lips finally met hers, and it was the sweetest feeling. A million times better than what he had envisioned in his mind. He could feel Lil kiss him back and he smiled against her. What started as a delicate, gentle kiss, was soon passion-induced make-out, as he gently pushed her against the wet back window. Taking a break to catch his breath, he trailed some kisses along the edge of her jawline and to her neck.

"Tommy!" She gasped.

Just as he was about to kiss her again, bright headlights appeared behind them. Tommy groaned. "Damn."

He pecked her gently on the lips before hopping off the trunk and taking her hand to help her down. He smiled at her before turning and walking casually over to the tow truck. Lil inhaled. She patted her hair and straightened out her sweater before smiling and running to catch up with Tommy.

So, maybe this wasn't the worst night of her life after all. And maybe fate does have a funny way of working things out.


End file.
